Hedi Slimane, the former designer of Dior Homme has posted a letter on his website explaining his departure. Slimane was the initial designer at the helm of Dior Homme when it was newly created 7 years ago. He acknowledges the partnership as a “fruitful collaboration”.
Slimane goes on to say he felt ready for a change at the end of his contract last July. In the letter he states:
“AS FOR MY OWN STYLE AND AESTHETIC, I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO SEPARATE THE 2.
IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT A PROPOSAL CAME TO ME TO START A NEW HOUSE UNDER MY NAME IF I STAYED WITH DIOR HOMME.
I TRIED TO MAKE THINGS WORK FOR ABOUT A YEAR. HOWEVER, I HAD THE FEELING IT WAS NOT THE RIGHT PROJECT FOR ME. THERE ARE AREAS I WILL NOT COMPROMISE WITH AT ALL WHEN IT COMES TO MY WORK, AND SETTING UP A LABEL UNDER MY OWN NAME. I ALWAYS KEPT IN MIND THE PRECEDENCE OF SOME DESIGNERS I ADMIRE WHO WERE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, AND CHOSE THE OTHER PATH. PERHAPS IN ANOTHER TIME IN MY LIFE, UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, MY NAME, AND THE MANAGEMENT OF A COMPANY UNDER MY OWN LABEL WOULD BE CONSIDERED DIFFERENTLY. RIGHT NOW I FEEL IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO STAY TRUE TO MY PRINCIPLES, AND THE IDEA I HAVE OF FASHION.
I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO REFUSE THE KIND PROPOSITION THAT WAS MADE
AND TO DECLINE A NEW DIOR HOMME CONTRACT. I MADE THIS CLEAR JUST AFTER
MY LAST SHOW, THE SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY, AND LEFT FOR LOS ANGELES.I DECIDED TO WALK AWAY FROM DIOR, AND MOVE ENTIRELY FORWARD.”
[earlier]
